Blog

Postcards on Cloud 9: Highest Post Office

The Spiti Valley is a remote valley in the Himalayas bordering on Tibet and known as one of the highest places in the world in which to live. In 1849 when Spiti was integrated as part of India by the British, they set up post offices in villages throughout the valley. This enabled the local administration departments to communicate with headquarters in KULU.

Hikkim Post Office

Today, the Hikkim Post Office is one of the highest and one of the last village post offices still functional in the valley. The sign reads “The World’s Highest Post Office -4440m/14567 ft”.

Many travellers come here to send postcards to their loved ones back home to destinations as far as East Asia, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and America. The mail is collected and taken to Kaza – the capital of the valley – where it is then sent to Delhi and onward to destinations all over the world.

I sent some postcards this summer to my family and they arrived exactly one month later, I think that is amazing!!